"Swift Fawn" tells the story of a little white girl who was adopted by Mandans after one of the Indian braves found the baby alone on the prairie. Because some of the Mandans are fair with blue eyes, Swift Fawn doesn't know that she is white until one fateful day when White Mink (her Indian mother) gives her a little knitted bootie and tells Swift Fawn that she was a foundling.
"Timid Hare, the Little Captive" continues the story of this same little girl after she is kidnapped from her Mandan village by Dacotah braves. The Dacotahs (aka Dakotah or Sioux Indians) give Swift Fawn the name of Timid Hare instead, and force her to be a slave in their village. Life is hard, but Timid Hare comes to admire the fierce Sioux for their intelligence, skill and courage.
When she is alone, Timid Hare inspects the booty sock that White Mink had given her: White Mink said it would give her luck. Timid Hare dared not tell her Dacotah captors that she is white. But the bootie gives the little girl hope that something good will happen if she believes what White Mink told her.
This is a fascinating 2-part book series that describes life in two very different Indian villages. The stories were written by Mary H. Wade and illustrated by Louis Betts. (Louis Betts was well-known, later, as a portrait artist for high society.)
This version of Swift Fawn has an additional chapter that an earlier edition did not have, as well as color illustrations.
Both books are included in this eBook edition.
